Focused

By Relay

David Sparks and Mike Schmitz are not nearly as productive as they’d like to be. Join these fellow travelers (and a bunch of special guests) as they share the best ways to get focused, and talk throug... more

4.4

119119 ratings

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FAQs about Focused:

How many episodes does Focused have?

The podcast currently has 239 episodes available.

Focused episodes:

July 30, 2024209: A System for Writing, with Bob Doto
Writer Bob Doto joins us to discuss creative systems, connecting ideas, and why you really should care about zettlekasten.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
Guest Starring:
Bob Doto
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. A System for Writing by Bob Doto Bob Doto How to Take Smart Notes by Sönke Ahrens Getting Things Done by David Allen Obsidian Field Guide (Plus Edition) | MacSparky Field Guides How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler Linking Your Thinking with Nick Milo | YouTube Zettelkasten Forum Read Between the Lynes | Your Hometown Bookstore The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu The World Beyond Your Head by Matthew Crawford The Spell of the Sensuous by David Abram The Political Philosophy of Poststructuralist Anarchism by Todd May Zettelkasten subreddit
...more
1h 27min
July 16, 2024208: Moving the Needle Revisited
David & Mike revisit the topic of moving the needle to discuss what's working and what's changed.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. Focused #74: Moving the Needle Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday Good Work podcast with Barrett Brooks & Nathan Barry Timing How to Do Cal Newport Style Multi-Scale Planning in Obsidian | YouTube Journaling in Obsidian Using Daily Questions | YouTube Deep Work by Cal Newport Simple Marketing For Smart People by Billy Boras and Tiago Forte Shop Class as Soulcraft by Matthew Crawford The World Beyond Your Head by Matthew Crawford Mike's Reading Masterclass The Fellowship Of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
...more
1h 4min
July 02, 2024207: What Would Sparky Say?
In this feedback episode, David & Mike revisit scheduling, journaling, delegation, and lots of listener thoughts on slow productivity.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. Slow Productivity by Cal Newport Focused #202: Slow Productivity OmniFocus 4 Field Guide (Plus Edition) | MacSparky Field Guides Getaway House | Tiny Cabin Vacation Rentals The Blanc Media 8-Week Work Cycle with Sabbaticals | The Focus Course Day One Journal App | Your Journal For Life Journaling Thread | MPU Talk Mike's Journaling in Obsidian YouTube video Rediscovering Ikigai: What We Got Wrong & How to Find Meaning in Life Focused #203: The Little Lies You Tell Yourself, with Jason Snell Mike's newsletter on Personal Retreats Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick Ethan Mollick | Substack Right Thing, Right Now by Ryan Holiday
...more
1h 16min
June 18, 2024206: Rapt
David & Mike read Rapt by Winifred Gallagher and discuss how to protect your attention and cultivate a focused life.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Harvard Business Review: The leading destination for smart management thinking. Subscriptions start at just $10/month with code FOCUSED.
Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. OmniFocus 4 Field Guide (Plus Edition) Rapt by Winifred Gallagher Mike's Notes for Rapt by Winifred Gallagher 30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer The Deep Life by Cal Newport #303: The Problem with Grand Goals Focused #192: Flow State Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi Grit by Angela Duckworth Foodnoms Radical Candor by Kim Scott
...more
1h 24min
June 04, 2024205: Tasks & Calendars
David & Mike consider their use of tasks and calendars and share their workflows for how they tie these two essential productivity tools together to get things done.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Nom Nom: Healthy, fresh food for dogs formulated by top Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists. Prepped in our kitchens with free delivery to your door. Get 50% off.
Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. Macstock Conference & Expo | A conference for the Mac and iOS community
Use coupon code MIKESCHMITZ to save $30 on your ticket.
Focused #203: The Little Lies You Tell Yourself, with Jason Snell OmniFocus OmniFocus 4 Field Guide (Plus Edition) | MacSparky Field Guides Obsidian Focused #204: Analog Productivity, with Jeff Sheldon Analog™ | The original to-do system by Ugmonk Obsidian Tasks plugin The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande Checklist Reset plugin Notion Projects plugin Fantastical Periodic Notes plugin How to Do Cal Newport Style Multi-Scale Planning in Obsidian | YouTube Discbound Heirloom Journal (Brown) | Ugmonk Day One Kindle Scribe Custom Book Embosser | Amazon Scarcity Brain by Michael Easter Same as Ever by Morgan Housel
...more
1h 12min
May 21, 2024204: Analog Productivity, with Jeff Sheldon
Ugmonk founder Jeff Sheldon is back to talk about designing and building physical products, how our environments shape our ability to focus, and finding joy in the analog.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Harvard Business Review: The leading destination for smart management thinking. Subscriptions start at just $10/month with code FOCUSED.
Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
Guest Starring:
Jeff Sheldon
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. Analog™ | The original to-do system by Ugmonk Gather: Your Desk Simplified | Ugmonk Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal Mike's Fancy Notecards Analog Weekly Kit (Walnut) | Ugmonk Due: The Superfast Reminder App for iPhone & iPad Discbound Heirloom Journal (Brown) | Ugmonk Mike's Obsidian Task Dashboard image How to Do Cal Newport Style Multi-Scale Planning in Obsidian | YouTube Journaling in Obsidian Using Daily Questions | YouTube How to Do a Personal Retreat in Obsidian | YouTube Jeff's Newsletter The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul Aeron Chair | Herman Miller Store Useful Not True | Derek Sivers Every Tool's a Hammer by Adam Savage Super Thinking by Gabriel Weinberg & Lauren McCann The Great Mental Models Volume 1: General Thinking Concepts
...more
1h 23min
May 07, 2024203: The Little Lies You Tell Yourself, with Jason Snell
Jason Snell is back to talk about staying focused as an indie and his unique spin on off-site personal retreats.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Nom Nom: Healthy, fresh food for dogs formulated by top Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists. Prepped in our kitchens with free delivery to your door. Get 50% off.
Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
Guest Starring:
Jason Snell
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. David's Personal Retreat PDF Mike's Personal Retreat in Obsidian video Good to Great by Jim Collins Getaway House | Tiny Cabin Vacation Rentals Runestone text editor Six Colors Upgrade | Relay FM Downstream | Relay FM The Incomparable | Smart, funny pop culture podcasts
...more
1h 24min
April 23, 2024202: Slow Productivity
David & Mike consider Cal Newport's philosophy on organizing knowledge work in a sustainable and meaningful manner.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
Vitally: A new era for customer success productivity. Get a free pair of AirPods Pro when you book a qualified meeting.
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. Slow Productivity by Cal Newport Mike's Notes for Slow Productivity by Cal Newport How to Calm Your Mind by Chris Bailey Productivity Field Guide (Plus Edition) Daily Rituals by Mason Currey The Extended Mind by Annie Murphy Paul Focused #146: The Extended Mind, with Annie Murphy Paul The 12 Week Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington David's Newsletter Focused #155: 12 Favorite Problems Liminal Thinking by Dave Gray Avoiding Email: Do the Hard Stuff Instead | MacSparky Ep. 284: Feel-Good Productivity (w/ Ali Abdaal) | The Deep Life by Cal Newport Feel-Good Productivity by Ali Abdaal Ghost Town Living by Brent Underwood Ember Mug 2 LifeFocus | Life Planning That’s Simple, Fun, and Effective
...more
1h 17min
April 09, 2024201: What to Do When Things Don't Go Your Way, with Haemin Sunim
Bestselling author & Zen Buddhist teacher Haemin Sunim joins David & Mike to talk about gratitude, mindfulness, compassion, and dealing with disappointment when things don't go your way.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Nom Nom: Healthy, fresh food for dogs formulated by top Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionists. Prepped in our kitchens with free delivery to your door. Get 50% off.
Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
Indeed: Join more than 3.5 million businesses worldwide using Indeed to hire great talent fast.
Guest Starring:
Haemin Sunim
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. Mike's Reading Masterclass When Things Don't Go Your Way by Haemin Sunim Love for Imperfect Things by Haemin Sunim The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down by Haemin Sunim Creativity, Inc. by Ed Catmull A Chinese Farmer Story by Alan Watts | YouTube Haemin Sunim | Official Site
...more
1h 12min
March 26, 2024200: Favorite Productivity Hacks
David & Mike celebrate 200 episodes by sharing their favorite productivity hacks.
This episode of Focused is sponsored by:
Zocdoc: Find the right doctor, right now with Zocdoc. Sign up for free.
Squarespace: Save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code FOCUSED.
Links and Show Notes: Deep Focus: Extended ad-free episodes with bonus deep dive content. The Focus Course Focused #138: Hyper-Scheduling Revisited Nom Nom Automators | Relay FM Productivity Field Guide (Plus Edition) | MacSparky Field Guides Atomic Habits by James Clear Focus Timer The Deep Life by Cal Newport Slow Productivity by Cal Newport Mastery by Robert Greene Company Of One by Paul Jarvis How to Calm Your Mind by Chris Bailey David's Book Notes Mike's Reading Workshop
...more
1h 3min

FAQs about Focused:

How many episodes does Focused have?

The podcast currently has 239 episodes available.